Jammu and Kashmir High Court asks government to spell out action taken against Masarat, Asiya

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has asked the state government to spell out the action taken against separatist leaders Masrat Alam and Asiya Andrabi for raising against anti-India slogans and waving Pakistani flags in Kashmir.

On a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by two lawyers, Sanjay Verma and Deeraj Choudhary, and hearing senior advocates S S Lehar and Aditya Sharma, a division bench of the Hingh Court comprising Justice Hasnain Masoodi and Justice Janak Raj Kotwal, on Wednesday issued a notice to the state government for disclosing the action taken against Alam and Andrabi.

The notices have been received on the behalf of the state by Deputy Advocate General P S Chandel. The case has been listed for Thursday, Advocate Aditya Sharma said.

The court was acting on PIL filed against circulation of the news by the media about separatist activities and called for restrictions to be imposed on coverage under Press Council of India Act.

During the hearing, Lehar and Sharma batted for curbs on the media for projecting an incident in a big way saying this only helps only separatists. They argued that in the rally organized by the separatist leaders, around 150-200 people participated and raised slogans against India.

"But the media has shown it as if the whole state is against India", Lehar said, adding "such news items create law and order problems in the state and peace is vitiated".

Aditya suggested restrictions on the media under Press Council of India Act over the coverage of separatists in Kashmir.